Ephesians Chapter 4:1-16 Outline: I.
The Unity of the Spirit: A.
Attitudes necessary for Unity: 4:1-3
B.
Doctrines necessary for Unity: 4:4-6
C.
Gifts given to promote Unity: 4:7-11
D.
The purpose and desired results of such gifts: 4:12-16
As in many of Paul's letters, a strong doctrinal section is followed by an equally strong practical section (Romans 12:1; Galatians 5:1; Colossians 3:1), reminding us to build our lives on the truths already mentioned. As Caldwell said, “We are obligated to become what we believe” (p. 152). “For three chapters Paul has been unfolding for his readers the eternal purpose of God being worked out in history. Through Jesus Christ, who died for sinners and was raised from the dead, God is creating something entirely new. Paul sees an alienated humanity being reconciled, a fractured humanity being united, even a new humanity. Now the apostle moves on from the new society (the church) to the new standards which are expected of it. So he turns from exposition to exhortation, from what God has done to what we must be and do, from doctrine to duty, from mind-stretching theology to its down-to-earth, concrete implications in everyday living” (Stott p. 146). “From Cain 1
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(Genesis 4:1-15) and Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) until the present, brother has risen against brother and nation against nation. This world is marked by dissension, division, and strife. Even in religion, the order man has chosen for himself is fighting and quarreling: sect against sect and church member against church member. God did not will division. God devised, designed, and executed a plan, on the other hand, whereby satisfying unity can be established in and through Jesus Christ. This is not a forced unity. Man voluntarily must will to accept the plan for unity. The fact that too many will not surrender to Christ and to His design of spiritual fellowship does not militate against the Lord's pattern itself. It simply speaks to the unwillingness of men to comply with the word and will of Almighty God in His wisdom” (Caldwell p. 152). This section reveals that unity in the Church is a real possibility. God's plan for unity includes proper attitudes, correct doctrine and everyone using their gifts. Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called” “Therefore”: “This conjunction makes a transition, denoting that what follows is a logical and necessary result from what has preceded” (Boles p. 263). “In view of the grace revealed in Christ, in view of the new life imparted, in view of the union of Gentiles and Jews in the church of Christ. According to Paul, duties are always based upon doctrines and belief is expressed in life” (Erdman p. 82). “The prisoner in the Lord”: Compare with 3:1,13; Galatians 6:17; and Philemon 9. “A prisoner in the Master's cause” (TCNT). “Here in jail for serving the Lord” (Tay). “That he is both a prisoner of Christ and a prisoner for Christ” (Stott p. 146). “If being ‘in the Lord’ has resulted in his imprisonment, what will it involve for his readers?” (Boles p. 264). “Having indicated his own commitment as a ‘prisoner’, Paul was in a position to beseech them to walk worthily” (Caldwell p. 153). The point is that the following verses are not unrealistic expectations for Christians. In fact, they may be considered "light duty", because after all, would you rather work on getting along with other Christians, or like Paul be physically beaten for being a Christian? See Hebrews 12:1-4. “Beseech you”: “Entreat” (NASV). “He has taught them, and he has prayed for them (1:15-23 and 3:14-19); now he addresses to 2
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them a solemn appeal. Instruction, intercession and exhortation constitute a formidable trio of weapons in any Christian teacher's armory” (Stott p. 146). See 2 Timothy 4:2. Paul can exhort people with God's great love (chapters 1-3) or, if need be he will use some healthy "fear" (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). “To walk”: That is to live and conduct yourself. “It is the picture of one who is advancing step by step. It reminds us of the common round and the daily task. It assures us that every sphere of life gives one ample opportunity to serve His Lord” (Erdman p. 83). Colossians 1:10 “so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects”. “Worthily”: “Live lives worthy” (TCNT). “Live and act in a way worthy” (Tay). “Live up to your calling” (NEB). “It should be of equal value to the claim. We must practice what we believe and preach. Our lives should be as valuable to us (weigh as much) as our belief and talk” (Caldwell p. 154). “It has the idea of equal weight. Conduct and calling are to balance in weight. More is implied than likeness between calling and conduct, namely also corresponding weight and value” (Lenski p. 506). The importance of living the Christian life can only be seen when we realize the great price paid for such a relationship (1:7); the great purposes to which such people have been redeemed (1:12; 2:10); the great accomplishment achieved in the one body (2:13-22); and the great hope that such people have (1:18). Stott said, “What this life is to be like can be determined only by the nature of the divine call of which it is to be worthy. What is this? The new society has two major characteristics. First, it is ‘one’ people, composed equally of Jews and Gentiles, the single family of God. Secondly, it is a ‘holy’ people, distinct from the secular world. Therefore, because God's people are called to be one people, they must manifest their unity, and because they are called to be a holy people, they must manifest their purity. Unity and purity are two fundamental features of a life worthy of the divine calling. The apostle discusses unity of the church in verses 1-16 and the purity of the church from 4:17-5:21” (pp. 146-147). “Of the calling”: “In a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these” (Tay). One is called by the gospel message 3
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(2 Thessalonians 2:14). Yet this is no ordinary invitation. It is a call that comes from heaven (Hebrews 3:1). It is an invitation to accept and receive all the benefits of Christ's sacrifice. It is an invitation to receive eternal life, an invitation to join God in heaven. Such a "high" calling must have "high" expectations for those who accept it (Romans 16:2; Philippians 1:27; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 3 John 6). When I choose to become a Christian I am also choosing to live by a higher standard and expectations (5:2,8,15). I have decided to reject the "low" standards of the world (4:17). I have decided to walk with God (Genesis 5:24; 6:9,12; 17:1). Bruce said, “As members of a reputable family will have the family's good name in mind as they order their public conduct, so members of the Christian society will have in mind not only the society's reputation in the world but the character of Him who called into being and the purpose for which He so called it” (p. 334). “All of the high hopes, aspirations, and ideals for God's holy church upon this earth, however, must finally succeed or fail in a degree determined, at least in part, by the kind of people who make up the church” (Coffman p. 181). “Now Paul turns to the character the Christian must have if the Church is to fulfill her great task” (Barclay p. 134). “Lest there be misunderstanding about what it means to walk in harmony with God's redemptive purpose, Paul lists several specifics” (Boles p. 264). Attitudes Necessary for Walking Worthily Ephesians 4:2 “with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” “With”: This is a “statement of moral dispositions which should attend their walk conveying the idea of accompaniment” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 320). “All”: “All possible lowliness, or every kind of lowliness” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 320). “Being completely humble” (NIV). “Lowliness”: Humility. “Lowliness was much despised in the ancient world. The Greeks never used their word for humility in a context of approval, still less of admiration. Instead they meant by it an abject, servile, subservient attitude, ‘the crouching submissiveness of a slave’” (Stott p. 148). Unfortunately, many people in our modern society have the same view of 4
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humility. They perceive it to be a sign of weakness, and they claim that people will walk all over you, if you demonstrate humility. True humility is the result of proper self-evaluation (Romans 12:3), remembering the fact that one is blind without God (Jeremiah 10:23). We must have the proper view of the worth of others (Philippians 2:3-4), and a proper view of the God we serve. Barclay makes some fine comments on this point: “To face oneself is the most humiliating thing in the world. Most of us dramatize ourselves, true humility comes when we face ourselves and see our weakness, our selfishness, our failure in work and in personal relationships. Christian humility comes from setting life beside the life of Christ. So long as we compare ourselves with second best, we may come out of the comparison well. It is when we compare ourselves with perfection that we see our failure. A girl may think herself a very fine pianist until she hears one of the world's outstanding performers. A man may think himself a good golfer until he observes one of the world's masters in action. Self-satisfaction depends on the standard with which we compare ourselves. The Christian standard is Jesus Christ and against that standard there is no room for pride. There is another way of putting this. R.C. Trench said that humility comes from the constant sense of our own creatureliness. We are in absolute dependence on God” (pp. 135136). This verse suggests that "pride" often lurks behind discord. Whether it is discord in marriage, in the home, or in the church, human arrogance is often to blame. “Humility is a becoming virtue in Christians because it reflects their evaluation of themselves in respect of the infinitely righteous and holy God. It is the fountain from which are derived all of the Christian virtues. Conceit on the part of a child of God is a denial of the faith” (Coffman p. 182). Coffman made a good point. In other words, the first step in successfully living the Christian life and in maintaining unity in a congregation is to recognize the fact that God is God, and we are not. Division starts to happen when man wants to elevate his view or opinion over the will of God (Romans 12:16; Colossians 2:18; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverb13:10 “Through presumption comes nothing but strife”. Humility is able to apologize and seek reconciliation, admit failure or sin and seek the will of God over its own opinions. The humble man or woman says, “My own personal opinion is worthless, for without God’s 5
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guidance I am an imperfect individual and morally blind” (Proverbs 16:25). “Meekness”: Gentleness---“was warmly applauded by Aristotle. Because he hated extremes and loved ‘the golden mean’, he saw in praotes (meekness) the quality of moderation, for example ‘the mean between being too angry and never being angry at all.’ The word was also used of domesticated animals. Meekness is not a synonym for weakness. On the contrary, it is the gentleness of the strong, whose strength is under control. It is the quality of a strong personality who is nevertheless master of himself and the servant of others” (Stott p. 149). God expects the person with a "strong personality" to be under control as well. "Meekness" means being under God's control and in subjection to His will (James 1:21), and at the same time being on call to serve others (James 1:26-27). “Moses is a special biblical example of meekness (Numbers 12:3). Moses was not weak or spineless, but neither was he headstrong toward God” (Caldwell p. 157). “The weak person yields because he is helpless to do anything else; the meek person yields his strength because he seeks the well being of others” (Boles p. 265). “It does not mean docile, easy to handle, or merely ‘cooperative’. It refers to moral authority and power issuing in restraint” (Coffman p. 182). I have always been impressed by this word in James 1:21. The most important aspect of meekness is that the person who is "meek" is the individual who will always listen to the will of God and accept God's teachings no matter how hard they might be to accept or apply. It is the attitude in which true learning takes place, that is, it is the man who is "big" enough to admit his own ignorance, and it is also the attitude in which God can rebuke us and we will not resent Him. In his book "Flesh and Spirit", Barclay said of this quality, “It is when we have prautes that we treat all men with perfect courtesy, that we can rebuke without rancor, that we can face the truth without resentment, that we can be angry and yet sin not, that we can be gentle and yet not weak” (p. 121). Compare with Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 2:25; and1 Peter 3:15. Vine notes “Described negatively, meekness is the opposite of selfassertiveness and self-interest; it is equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all” (p. 56). 6
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“With longsuffering”: Fortitude, patience, forbearance. Longsuffering does not overlook sin (Matthew 18:15; Galatians 6:1), rather it is patience that always leaves the sinner with an opportunity to repent (Romans 12:19). “Perhaps the best way for us to ‘lengthen’ the fuse on our tempers is to remember how much God has forgiven in our own lives” (Boles p. 265). Compare with Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:13; and Matthew 18:21-35. Sometimes we forget that since God has forgiven us and has endured our imperfections, we are morally obligated to bear with the imperfections in others. Again, such "longsuffering" does not excuse sin and neither does it tolerate false teaching (1 Corinthians 5; 2 John 9-11), but it does treat others in the same manner that God has treated it, and refuses to use the sins of others as the reason why it can give up. “Christian patience is the spirit which never admits defeat, which will not be broken by any misfortune or suffering, by any disappointment or discouragement, but which persists to the end” (Barclay p. 138). This is such an essential quality in the unity of any congregation, because the failings and apathy of other members can get us down. If we are not careful we can start thinking that nobody is serious about really serving God, and this is simply one way that the devil tries to convince us to quit. When discouragement moves us to inactivity, it means that the devil has broken us (Galatians 6:9). “Forbearing one another”: This suggests that even fellow Christians will irritate us at times, but how soon do we forget that we do our own fair share of irritating others. Stott reminds us that "mutual tolerance without which no group of human beings can live together in peace” (p. 149). Since we are admittedly imperfect, "forbearance" is essential for unity to happen in a congregation. In practical terms this means we give people the time to grow spiritually (Hebrews 5:12-14), give people a chance to think things through, avoid making hasty judgments, and realize the difference between Divine commandments and realms in which personal preference is allowed. Remember a person is more apt to listen to us, if we correct our own problems first (Matthew 7:1-5). We give others the same slack and allowances that we can rightly give ourselves, understanding that there is a big difference between helping a brother out of sin (Galatians 6:1) and the practice of "fault-finding" (Galatians 5:15). 7
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One maintains unity, because it is unselfish, the other destroys unity. “In love”: “Has the high purpose of seeking to do what is best for the faulty brother. The idea of standing anything and everything for any length of time is excluded” (Lenski p. 508). “A forbearance having its motive, its inspiration, its life, in love” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 321). The love mentioned is the love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. This last phrase defines what type of forbearance promotes unity. It is not a forbearance of the world, that is, looking the other way, putting up with them, but secretly resenting them or just allowing people to do and believe anything they want. Instead this forbearance confronts sin with the attitude of wanting the sinner to be saved (2 Tim. 2:24; Matthew 18:15). Instead of gossiping and spreading discontent, this forbearance has the courage to talk face to face with a brother (Matthew 18:15). This forbearance does not result in bitterness, resentment, or revenge because it is motivated by a "love" that springs from the will and not from undependable emotions. Ephesians 4:3 “giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” “Giving diligence”: “Earnestly striving” (Alf). “Eager to maintain” (RSV). Every member of the church is under this obligation, for unity does not just happen by accident, and congregations that stay united are not simply lucky. “Originally the verb means to ‘make haste’” (Vincent p. 386). "Haste" is often necessary to maintain unity (Matthew 5:24 “leave your offering...and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother”). “Unity cannot be achieved or maintained just by being passive” (Boles p. 266). It is absolutely necessary that the world see God's people maintaining a united front (John 17:20-21). Therefore, haste needs to be made to clear up every misunderstanding between brethren. “To keep”: “Preserve” (NASV). “Is to guard, keep watch over protectively. Unity is not simply an external, superficial togetherness” (Caldwell p. 159). “Ever to guard” (Lenski p. 508). “The unity of the Spirit”: “The unity given by the Spirit” (TCNT). Through the Holy Spirit, God has revealed all the essential elements of unity. All of us are sinners, so humility is essential. Every Christian stands equal before God. God's word is the final standard for belief and practice (2 Thessalonians 3:6-14). God is God and we are not. 8
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Human opinion isn't the standard. Be patient with others, because God has been very patient with you. “In the bond”: A joint, tie, ligament, uniting principle. “Of peace”: “Since Christ is Himself their peace (Ephesians 2:14), it would be unnatural for them to live otherwise than at peace with one another” (Bruce p. 335). When the number one priority in our lives is "peace with God" and scriptural peace with others, then unity will prevail. Unity is grounded in the Truth In all situations where "fellowship" becomes an issue we must maintain the proper attitudes toward each other (4:2-3), and side with the truth (4:4-6). “These facts are all objective, not subjective. Lack of faith in them does not change their truthfulness one iota. Each one stands as a spiritual reality” (Caldwell pp. 163-164). Ephesians 4:4 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling” “There is”: “One may leave this great basis, it remains nonetheless what it is. One may rest on it wholeheartedly or weakly, that, too, does not change it in the least” (Lenski p. 510). “One body”: This is another name for the church (Ephesians 1:22-23). All Christians are members of this one body (Ephesians 2:16-19). This one body is not composed of differing religious bodies, rather it is composed of individual Christians (Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:27). Jesus prayed for a unified body of disciples (John 17:20-21). “To thank God for all the different ‘churches’, to declare that ‘any church is alright’, or to encourage people to ‘join the church of your choice’, is to promote disunity and discord. Denominationalism seeks to have one head with many bodies. Paul is declaring a unity of membership among Christians in a single church” (Caldwell pp. 164-165). God maintains only "one body". There is only one way to enter the body of Christ (Acts 2:38,41,47; 1 Corinthians 12:13). God does not endorse congregations that depart from His will (Revelation 2:5; 3:16). 9
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“One Spirit”: One Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4; 8-11). "One Spirit" demands one consistent revelation of truth (3:3-5). Hence the Bible does not teach contradictory doctrines, for all truth was revealed through "one Spirit" (John 16:13). There is only one body because the one Spirit directs sinners to only one plan of salvation and one place of salvation (1 Corinthians 12:13). Denominationalism cannot be linked to God, because nowhere does the Spirit ever direct anyone to become a member of any denomination. “One hope of your calling”: “Called to share one common hope” (Con). “Just as there was but one hope set before you when you received your Call” (TCNT). The "one hope" is eternal life (Titus 1:2). The Jehovah Witnesses argue that two hopes exist----an earthly paradise for the vast majority of believers and then heaven for the 144,000. There is only one problem--- it contradicts the Bible. All Christians are told to set their minds on heaven (Matthew 6:19-21; Colossians 3:1-2; 1 Peter 1:4). “This hope is not something individual and private, but something public and corporate (Col.ossians1:13)” (Boles p. 268). If Christians all have "one hope", then we should all have the same basic goals and ambitions in common. We should all "value" the same spiritual things. We should all recognize what is important and what is not (Matthew 6:19-21). We should all work towards helping others obtain eternal life. We should all realize how important it is to encourage each other so that we all gain this hope (Hebrews 3:13; 10:25). Ephesians 4:5 “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” “One Lord”: Jesus Christ. “This phrase indicates unity of authority and leadership. The term Lord means more than simple acceptance of Christ's exalted position. It means accepting His word and establishing our personal allegiance upon His every command and wish (Matthew 7:21)” (Caldwell pp. 166-167). "One Lord" means that Christians need not only to believe these "ones" in Ephesians 4:4-6, but everything that this "Lord" has commanded (Luke 6:46; John 12:48; 2 John 9; Colossians 3:17). “One faith”: While it is tempting to see faith in this passage as the subjective faith of the individual Christian, especially when we realize that the next "one" is baptism (Mark 16:16). I believe that it is more in line with the 10
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context that the "faith" under consideration here is the "objective" faith, that being the teachings that Christians must believe (Jude 3). Since everything else in this list is an objective reality, it seems that the faith under consideration should be the same. “One faith suggests unity of doctrinal belief. The fellowship of Christians does not rest on subjective or conjectural information” (Caldwell p. 167). See John 8:32; and 1 Corinthians 1:10. This means that one must believe certain things to be a Christian (Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9-10). The church does not have a right to create a fellowship based on "potluck theology", where we embrace all views (2 John 9-11; Galatians 1:6-10; 2 Timothy 4:2-4). Becoming a member of the "one body" obligates one to defend the "one faith" (Jude 3; Philippians 1:27,16; 1 Timothy 3:9; 4:6). We do not have a moral right to believe anything we want to believe and still call ourselves Christians (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). “One baptism”: “Indicates unity of obedience and means of entrance into Christ” (Caldwell p. 168). Obviously baptism is essential, because why would Paul say, “one (important) body, one (important) Spirit, one (important) hope, one (important) Lord and one unimportant and unnecessary baptism? Since the word "baptism" means "immersion" (check out any lexicon), the only acceptable "baptism" is by immersion (Romans 6:3-5). The only "baptism" that we find commanded of all men, is baptism in water (Acts 8:36-38; 10:47-48). The only baptism that is essential for salvation is baptism in water (1 Peter 3:21). Therefore, the baptism under consideration here is not Holy Spirit baptism. We must always remember that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was a promise (Acts 1:5-8), which never applied to all Christians. “Nowhere in the New Testament is anyone ever commanded to be baptized in the Spirit. (How could a person obey such a command?) Furthermore, even after Cornelius had received the miraculous outpouring of the Spirit, Peter commanded him to be baptized in water (Acts 10:44-48)” (Boles p. 270). Ephesians 4:6 “one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all” “One God and Father”: Implying a unity of worship. Nothing has really changed from the first century. Even today we must persuade people that 11
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only one true God exists (Acts 17:21ff; 1 Corinthians 8:6). “and Father”: The one true God is a personal being, not some impersonal force or the ultimate within each one of us. Neither is God to be confused with the creation. No, God isn't in the tree, in the rocks, in the animals, and so on. God is the Creator, not the creation. The existence of "one God" reveals a very important logical reason why in these other areas only "one" exists. This is the fundamental ground of unity. Only one body of believers exist because only one God is being served. Only one hope exists, because we are to share the company of only one God. “Of all”: “God created all. There is not one god for each nation or religion” (Caldwell p. 169). Yet connecting this statement to the word "Father", God is only the spiritual Father of all Christians (Galatians 3:26-27). “Who is over all”: He is not to be confused with the creation or with some mysterious "God-force" within us. God is the creator, the ultimate source of authority, the final standard, and the last court of appeal. “And through all”: “Pervades all” (TCNT). “Acts through all” (Wey). God sustains all (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:16-17; 17:25). The universe is held together by deity (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:3), and God can also work through all events and circumstances to bring about His purposes (Romans 8:28). “And in all”: Ephesians 2:22), in all who conform to His will (1 John 3:24). Some Conclusions on this Section Unity among Christians is an essential element in persuading unbelievers (John 17:20-26). Everyone's soul is at stake when Christians cannot seem to get along. Maintaining unity in the church is a real possibility. “God has done everything short of taking away our free will to act and think for ourselves in helping us achieve these goals. He provided the ultimate example of love. He furnished an understandable revelation to insure that we would have in common a basic doctrinal and moral objective in life” (Caldwell p. 171). Provision for Spiritual Health and Growth Not only has God enabled us to have the right attitudes, perspective (4:23), and the right doctrinal basis (4:4-6), but He has also provided "gifts" to help maintain unity and growth in the body of Christ. 12
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Ephesians 4:7 “But unto each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ” “Unto each one of us”: While Paul will mention specific areas of service (4:11), it is also true that very Christian possesses a talent or gift that they must use (Matthew 25:14-29; Romans 12:4-6). “Within the unity of the body each member has a distinctive part to play, a distinctive service to perform, for the effective functioning of the whole” (Bruce pp. 339-340). Often you will hear people argue that diversity of backgrounds, personalities, and cultures makes unity in the church impossible, especially in doctrine. It is interesting to note that what many people consider to be an obstacle to unity, God sees as a means to strengthening the body. Division is not caused by the mere fact that people have differing talents. With the right attitude, such people can accomplish much. Neither is background or culture an inherent barrier to unity, because the congregations in the first century were composed of people from all sorts of cultures (Jewish and Gentile), backgrounds (slaves and free), and socioeconomic levels (rich and poor). “Was the grace given”: “His favor has been bestowed upon each one of us” (Wms). Definitely every Christian has come into contact with the grace of God (1:6), but "grace" can also refer to a realm of service given by God (Romans 12:6; Ephesians 3:2,7). Seeing that all Christians have both received salvation from God and some area of service all Christians are morally obligated to work towards the unity and growth of the body of Christ. “As a motive to keep the unity of the Spirit--none is overlooked-each has his part in the distribution of the gifts which he is bound to use for the well-being of the whole” (Alford p. 1229). “According to the measure of the gift of Christ”: “His due portion of Christ's bounty” (NEB). “Out of the rich diversity of Christ's giving” (Phi). “Measure”: A degree. The context is talking about "gifts" (4:8,11), therefore Paul is not saying that Christ gives differing degrees of "grace" (that results in salvation). All Christians receive the exact same forgiveness, and redemption. “Paul argued that Christians were to accept the fact that God designates certain individual differences among persons” (Caldwell p. 13
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171). Hence this passage is teaching basically the same truth as that found in 1 Corinthians 12:4ff and Romans 12:4-6, yet carefully note that in Romans 12:4ff, Paul speaks of "spiritual gifts" and not-so spiritual gifts in the same context (12:6-8). Therefore some of the same principles that applied to spiritual gifts also apply to what people call "God-given abilities". Such talents are to be used to build up the body of Christ. We should not envy some talented Christian, for we are just as talented in another area. We need to be grateful to God for what we can do well and not "fret" about areas of service for which we are not fitted, or which God has excluded us. Ephesians 4:8 “Wherefore He saith, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men’” “Wherefore He saith”: “That is why it is said” (TCNT). “Concerning this the Scripture says” (Wms). Paul quotes from the Old Testament to prove that Christ did in fact give "gifts" to men. “He saith”: “It says” (NASV). God is identified with Scripture. Therefore Scripture constitutes the very words of God Himself (2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 22:31-32). The quotation here is from Psalm 68:18. “It refers to the return of the Lord in victory to His people. The Old Testament statement refers to the Lord's having received gifts (apparently as spoil)” (Caldwell p. 173). Under the direction of the Spirit, Paul quoted the Psalm and changed the wording from "received" to "gave gifts", which is only logical. Stott reminds us, “So we need to remember that after every conquest in the ancient world there was invariably both a receiving of tribute and a distributing of largesse. What conquerors took from their captives, they gave away to their own people. The spoils were divided, the booty was shared” (p. 157). “When He ascended on high”: Ephesians 1:20-22. “He led captivity captive”: “He led His captives into captivity” (TCNT). “With captives in His train” (NEB). “Took prisoners” (Beck). “Abstract for the body of captives. The captives are not the redeemed, but the enemies of Christ's kingdom, Satan, sin, and death” (Vincent p. 388). Even though Christians were once the slaves of sin (Romans 6:13,16), the "captivity" taken captive in the above verse are God’s enemies. Other Scriptures teach the same truth, that through the cross Christ defeated His 14
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enemies (Colossians 2:15; Luke 11:20-22; Rev. 1:17-18; Heb. 2:14-15; Acts 2:22-24; 1 John 3:8). This fits well with the Psalm quoted—“the captives are the enemies of Christ; just as in the Psalm they are the enemies of Israel and Israel's God” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 324). “As in a literal triumph, the chiefs of the enemy's army are led captive” (P.P. Comm. p. 148). Hence, now Christ is able to return at any moment and simply "mop" up. The power and influence of the devil has been limited for those who choose to disobey Christ. The obedient are free from the terror of death (Hebrews 2:14-15). They are free from the devil's deceptions (Ephesians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 2:11). They have the weapons to resist the devil's attacks (Ephesians 6:10-18; James 4:7). “Gave gifts unto men”: Just like a victorious King would divide the spoil with His loyal subjects. The "men" in the context are Christians. Only Christians have obtained the benefits from the victory achieved by Jesus Christ (1:3; 2:6). Ephesians 4:9 “Now this, He ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth?” “What is it”: “Must imply that He had already gone down” (TCNT). “What does it mean but that He had first descended” (Wey) “Furthermore, to emphasize this triumph, Paul pauses to dwell on the word ‘ascended’ and to remind his readers that the glory of this victory can be measured only by the depth to which Christ descended” (Erdman p. 88). “He also”: The Jesus that sits at the right hand of God is the same as the Jesus that came to this earth. One cannot make some artificial distinction between the "historical Jesus" and the "Christ of Glory". They are one and the same person. “Descended”: This implies a pre-existence (John 8:58; Philippians 2:6; John 1:1-3). “Lower parts of the earth”: Not only did Jesus completely humble Himself, live among men, and live in some of the most humble circumstances, even for human beings, but such a "descent" even resulted in His physical death, that is, this descent finally resulted in His being entombed in the earth (Philippians 2:7-8). “This was the climax of Christ's humiliation; to be removed out of men's sight, as too offensive for them to look on--to be hidden away in the depths of the earth” (P.P. Comm. p. 148). From this phrase some get the idea that following His 15
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death Jesus "descended" into hell and rescued various individuals, yet Jesus did not go to hell when He died, he went to Hades (Luke 23:43; Acts 2:31). The people now in torment that heard Jesus’ preaching (1 Peter 3:19-20), were not in hell at the time when heard, rather Jesus had preached to them through Noah while the ark was being constructed. Ephesians 4:10 “He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things”. “Far above all the heavens”: Even beyond the atmospheric and celestial heavens, to the right hand of the very throne of the Father Himself (1:2021; Hebrews 4:14; 7:26 “exalted above the heavens”). His great descent resulted in a great exaltation (Philippians 2:6-11). “That He might fill all things”: This is not a physical filling, rather the exaltation of Christ constituted Him as Lord of all (Matthew 28:18), and with "all things under His feet" (1:22). “That simply means that He is able to provide all blessings. He fills all things by His influence” (Caldwell p. 174). “Christ was exalted to the place of unlimited authority that He might fill the universe with the blessings of His beneficent rule” (Erdman p. 89). “From His position of superiority over all the universe, Jesus sustains (Hebrews 1:3) and holds together all things (Colossians 1:17)” (Boles p. 274). In addition, since Jesus is in such an exalted position, He is able to give the church everything it needs for spiritual growth and unity. Ephesians 4:11 “And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers” “And He gave some”: Here are "some" of the gifts that Christ has given to the Church. “It is not suggested that such gifts are restricted to those that are specifically named; those that are named exercise their ministries in such a way as to help other members of the church to exercise their respective ministries” (Bruce pp. 345-346). This is the point of 4:12. “But before he explains that purpose he specifies a series of gifts given with that in view” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 329). “He gave”: “These operations did not spring up by themselves or on the basis of human will. They existed in the mind of the Lord from the beginning and did not result from the church's development through the ages as some contend” 16
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(Caldwell pp. 175-176). Therefore these "gifts" did not "evolve" in the church, as some contend that the "office" of elders evolved over time. Not so, we find elders in the earliest stages of Christianity (Acts 11:30), and in the very first congregations established. “Apostles”: “Their principle function was to provide eye-witness testimony that Christ was who He claimed to be (Acts 1:21-22; 3:32-33; 10:30-41; 1 Corinthians 9:1). Their credentials were miraculous signs designed to establish their credibility (Mark 16:17-20; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4). Since their essential qualifications or credentials cannot be duplicated today, we necessarily conclude that these functionaries are not personally present in the church today” (Caldwell p. 176). Stott makes a good point when he says, “The original apostles as eyewitnesses of the historic risen Jesus can in the nature of the case have no successors, and their authority is preserved today in the New Testament, which is the essential ‘apostolic succession’” (p. 161). Therefore, the role of the apostles to provide unity and growth for the body of Christ, was and is still accomplished by their writings once they died (John 20:30-31; 2 Peter 3:2,15-16). “Prophets”: The prophet was a "mouth-piece" for God (Exodus 7:1-2; 4:12-15; 2 Peter 1:20-21). “In this sense we must again insist that there are no prophets today. Nobody can presume to claim an inspiration or use their introductory formula ‘Thus says the Lord’. If this were possible, we would have to add their words to Scripture, and the whole church would need to listen and obey” (Stott p. 161). The very fact that other "inspired" books have not been added to the New Testament following the days of the apostles and New Testament prophets is objective proof that these two gifts have ceased or served their purpose, because God has never failed to get His message into print. Hence the completion of their writings, which would bring "all truth" promised by Jesus (John 16:13), would also bring about the cessation of such gifts as inspired utterance or prophecy (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). “Evangelists”: A bearer of good news or preacher of the gospel. One of the mistakes that many denominational commentators make on the word evangelist, is that they define such men as "traveling missionaries", in contrast to a located preacher, yet the Bible mentions men who were called evangelists who worked with congregations for many years (Acts 8:40; 21:8; 2 Timothy 1:3; 2 Timothy 4:5). “Announce glad tidings. They announce or teach good news” 17
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(Caldwell p. 177). Seeing that men can still meet the qualifications for being an evangelist, and still accomplish the work (See the books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus), this gift this exists today. “Pastors”: A shepherd. "Pastors" were not "located preachers" in contrast to a traveling evangelist (another popular denominational concept even to this day), rather "pastors" were the shepherds of the local congregation, who are also called "elders" or "bishops” and “overseers" (Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1:5-6; 1 Peter 5:1-3). These "pastors" must meet specific qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). “Teachers”: This would include uninspired individuals who were gifted at teaching (Acts 13:1; 2 Timothy 2:2; James 3:1). The Intended Goal of such Gifts Ephesians 4:12 “for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ” “For”: “With a view to” (Rhm). “The perfecting”: To complete or finish. “Fully to equip” (Wey). “In order to get His holy people ready to serve as workers” (Beck). “Preparing, furnishing, equipping” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 331). “To equip completely, to develop thoroughly to maturity” (Caldwell p. 179). Basically all of the above "gifts" have to do with teaching. Spiritual growth and unity comes from proper instruction from the Word of God. “Their aim is that the members of the Church should be fully equipped (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The basic idea of the word (perfecting) is that of putting a thing into the condition in which it ought to be” (Barclay p. 149). Paul's goal was to present every man "complete in Christ" (Colossians 1:28). Practical applications are not very hard to find. We need to cooperate with the efforts put forth by elders, preachers and teachers to help us grow in the faith, such as attending the classes offered and learning the material covered. New converts need to be willing to invest the time it takes to become grounded in the faith. It is sad when professed Christians try to argue that they are not obligated to attend Bible study. Such demonstrates a very shallow understanding of their role in the growth and unity of the congregation. An untaught membership is the path to division (Romans 16:18; Hebrews 5:12-14; 2 18
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Peter 3:16). “Unto the work of ministering”: “For the work of service” (NASV). "Ministering" means basically "service", and various realms of "service" are mentioned in the New Testament such as teaching others (2 Timothy 2:2), encouraging (1 Thessalonians 5:14), restoring the fallen (Galatians 6:1-2), and caring for those in need (James 1:27; Matthews 25:31-46). The ministering under consideration applies to every member of the body. Stott says, “The word ministry is here used not to describe the work of pastors but rather of all God's people without exception” (pp. 166-167). This means that every member of the church is expected to "serve" in some capacity, yet often we get these passages all twisted around in practice. Often a congregation will think, “When we get a preacher, then work will be done”. Sadly, such an attitude assumes that the preacher is to do all the work. In contrast, Paul teaches that the "purpose" of elders, preachers and teachers is to prepare the members so they can serve. Teach them what they need to do, give them the tools, skills, and knowledge they need, and then motivate them to go out and do it (Titus 3:1,14). “Unto the building up of the body of Christ”: “For the ultimate building up” (Wms). There is nothing mysterious or secret about church growth or unity in a congregation. The church grows when the elders, preachers, and teachers are providing the instruction necessary for personal growth and service, and when the members take advantage of it. In Acts chapter 6 we find that problems arose when a "need" was not being addressed. God is telling us that many problems never have to happen if members will simply use the talents they have and take care of the needs that they can do something about. The Desired Results of this Process Ephesians 4:13 “till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” “Till”: “This points to goals or results constantly sought, rather than to 19
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some specific duration which would end at a certain expected time. This ‘never-ending’ idea in the word ‘until’ may be seen in other passages (Matthew 11:23)” (Caldwell p. 184). “In a manner this task never ends because new generations of children and new converts ever require our ministration” (Lenski p. 532). As long as this earth remains, this work is never done. Therefore not only do we need new converts, but every generation needs new preachers, pastors and teachers. “We all”: Every Christian, the whole number of us, every Christian is commanded to mature and grow (Hebrews 5:12-14). “Attain”: “To arrive at something so that one comes to possess it, to attain unto, to reach to, or arrive at the goal or destination” (Caldwell p. 185). This "attaining" is not talking about some future generation of "super-duper" Christians, instead these are goals that each Christian must pursue in his own time. "My generation" of Christians must seek to attain these goals in their own lifetime. We must work towards securing unity, knowledge, and maturity among us now! “The unity of the faith”: “Oneness in faith” (Wey). “With the definite article faith refers to the gospel message, the body of truth revealed in the New Testament” (Caldwell p. 185). There is one objective body of truth (4:5), and the purpose of evangelists, pastors, and teachers is to help all Christians at this present time hold a united view (1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Timothy 6:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 2 John 9). Hence denominationalism is condemned by this very statement. All movements which argue, “We can't all understand the Bible alike” or “It doesn't matter what you believe, just as long as you are sincere” are working against the above goal, which is God's goal. Yes, all Christians are morally obligated to believe the same thing and embrace the body of truth known as "the faith". “Knowledge”: Full discernment. “Of the Son of God”: “By a fuller knowledge of the Son of God” (TCNT). “Precise and correct understanding concerning Christ: who He is and what He says. Much disunity is due to immature knowledge” (Caldwell p. 186) (Philippians 3:10; 2 Peter 3:18). The more we "know" who Jesus really is, the more we become impressed with His character and nature, the more humble and submissive we will become to His will and in turn, the greater chances for unity. Just knowing about Jesus is not enough. “Full-grown 20
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man”: “At mature manhood” (Wey). “At full spiritual maturity” (Lenski p. 535). This is what is expected of every member of the body. Remaining spiritually immature or weak is to be working at cross purposes with God. “The Church can never be content that her members should live descent, respectable lives; her aim must be they should be examples of perfect Christian manhood and womanhood” (Barclay p. 150). The costs of spiritual immaturity are too high (4:14). “The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”: “The full standard of the perfection of the Christ” (TCNT). “And that full measure of development found in Christ” (Gspd). “Measured by nothing less than the full stature of Christ” (NEB). “We reach maturity when we attain the qualities of Christlikeness. Rather than asking how little we can know and remain in fellowship with Christ, how much we can sin and escape judgment, or how much ignorance or weakness God will overlook, all children of God should be seeking full growth” (Caldwell p. 187). It seems that many members of the Church are always asking the same basic question, “How far can we stray from the truth and still be right with God?” What a horrible mental preoccupation. We need to wrestle the church out of the hands of those who are trying to reduce the church of the Lord Jesus Christ down to the lowest possible standard. Christ is the standard for all Christians (1 Corinthians 11:1; 1 Peter 2:21). We are to love, as Christ loved (Ephesians 5:2); forgive as Christ forgave (4:32); be pure as Christ is pure (1 Peter 1:14-15); be faithful and loyal to the Father as Christ was. Therefore the "fullness of Christ" comprises all the moral and ethic qualities that are found in Jesus Christ. “This high goal has been set before the church, and spiritual leaders have been given to the church” (Erdman p. 92). Ephesians 4:14 “that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error” “That”: All the sermons, classes, instruction and encouragement that is presented by preachers, elders and teachers is to protect Christians from the following. “We”: This is true of every member of the church. “May be no longer children”: In contrast to full-grown spiritually mature 21
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individuals (4:13). “Of course we are to resemble children in their humility and innocence (Matthew 18:3; 1 Corinthians 14:20), but not in their ignorance and instability” (Stott p. 170). This verse suggests that all of us were at one time "children", that is ignorant and immature individuals who were naively swallowing all sorts of false ideas. In addition, this verse also suggests that without God and His truth, we would continue to be easy prey for all sorts of crazy ideas (Proverbs 16:25; Jeremiah 10:23). “Tossed to and fro and carried about”: “Blown round by every shifting current of teaching” (Con). “There are those who are like children, they are dominated by a desire for novelty and the mercy of the latest fashion in religion” (Barclay p. 150). “They are always under the influence of the last person with whom they talked” (Coffman pp. 190-191). “Such are immature Christians. They never seem to know their own mind or come to settled convictions. Instead, their opinions tend to be those of the last preacher they heard or the last book they read, and they fall an easy prey to each new theological fad” (Stott p. 170). False teaching will always exist, and it will always exist in abundance (2 Peter 2:1; 2 Timohty 4:3). False teachers will always deceive "someone" they will always find easy prey (Romans 16:18; Acts 20:30-31; 2 Peter 2:2 “and may will follow”). It is my choice whether I will be easy prey or not. If I do not take the time to learn the truth, make the effort to ground myself in the faith (Colossians 1:23), or if I do not develop a heart that appreciates Divine truth (Proverbs 23:23), then I will be easy prey (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). “With every wind of doctrine”: This statement reminded me of some statements that F. Lagard Smith wrote in his book the The Cultural Church. Speaking to members in “liberal” congregations, he said: “Someone has suggested that what being non-denominational usually means to us is simply being ten years behind the denominations. How true! Remember when we bought everyone else's used ‘Joy Buses’? And do you not find it interesting that we are only now beginning to raise our hands during praise songs and to punctuate the worship with clapping? As one who uncomfortably finds himself in the midst of other fellowships on frequent occasions, I must share with you the other striking implication of the ten-year lag between us and the denominational world. 22
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Just look around and see where our trendiness is likely to lead us. In the churches around us, ‘more meaningful worship services’ have already evolved into thinly-disguised entertainment. It started with choruses, solos, and music ministry teams, then became the focal point in which worship leaders (particularly music leaders) stole the show and left the audience applauding the weekly worship ‘concert’. Is that where we really want to go? The novelty of trendy worship practices can be as selfdeluding as any traditionalism ever was. Before we initiate something new, simply for the sake of change, we must ask ourselves whether we are breathing life into our worship to God, or merely following the crowd hoping to catch some of the excitement which faddishness tends to offer” (p. 209). “By the sleight of men”: “By the trickery of men”, “according to men's cleverness” (Wey). Literally the term sleight in this verse “is a gambling term referring to playing with a cube or dice. It refers to the crafty deceit and trickery of the gambler who plays with loaded or false dice” (Caldwell pp. 188-189). “In craftiness”: “Readiness to do anything” (Caldwell p. 189). “This word was used especially in the practice of adulterating a product before it was sold” (Boles p. 281). Men who have absolutely no morals, who will do anything and say anything to persuade you. “After the wiles of error”: “That makes use of every shifting device to mislead” (Wey). “Their crafty presentation of error as truth” (Nor). “Neither Paul, nor any other New Testament writer, ever soft-peddled the effect of false teachers in seeking to cheat Christians out of eternal life” (Caldwell p. 189). While someone can teach error out of ignorance, the Bible contains a number of passages which indicate that many people teach error when they know it is error (Acts 20:29-30; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Galatians 2:4; 6:12; 2 Peter 2:3). We must rid ourselves of the naive view that states that everyone teaching religious concepts is honest and sincere. Religious teachers and leaders do exist who have absolutely no ethics. They will do anything they can to get followers. Vincent points out that the word "wiles" means “a deliberate planning or system” (p. 392). Coffman reminds us, “The greatest mistake that any Christian can make is to assume that teachers of error are sincere. While true enough that some of them are, it is equally true that many are not” (p. 191). 23
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The Contrast to Such Instability Ephesians 4:15 “but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the head, even Christ” “Speaking truth in love”: “But we shall lovingly hold to the truth” (Wey). “Dealing truly or cherishing truth” (Erdman p. 92). It is not enough for the church to believe the truth, it must speak it (1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 1:8), and it must present the truth from the motives of love for God and love for souls. (Philippians 1:15-18). Effective teaching and preaching must have true passion behind it. We are showing disrespect when we present God's truth on a platter than is apathetic, cold, and uncaring (2 Timothy 2:24-25). "Speaking the truth in love" also demands that when we teach and preach, we are completely above board and on the level with those we are teaching. Boles said, “they must adhere to truth in every respect; they must practice absolute integrity. We do not combat the father of lies with guile” (p. 281). This involves telling people everything they need to hear, and being completely honest with the word of God. Religious error is not successfully countered by compromise, or misrepresentation, rather false teaching is to be fought by presenting God's truth with complete integrity and with a true love for those whom we are preaching. Years ago someone asked an up and coming preacher, “Do you love to preach to people?” The response was “Yes”. Then the young man was asked, “But do you love the people you preach to?” “May grow up in all things to Him”: Christ is the standard for the Christian in "all things", and speaking the truth in love is an essential element in this process to maturity. You just cannot grow up spiritually and be like Christ, without loving God's truth and being willing to defend and proclaim it. “Who is the head, even Christ”: Ephesians1:22-23; Colossians 1:18,24. Ephesians 4:16 “from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love”. 24
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“From whom”: From the head, Christ. “All the body”: Every member of the church. One cannot grow spiritually without holding fast to the Head. One cannot grow up spiritually unless one is willing to embrace everything that Christ taught. Spiritual growth depends upon our "attitude" towards the Head. Do we resent Him? Or do we love and adore Him? “Fitly framed and knit together”: “The present participles denote present, continuous progress. The two participles represent respectively the ideas of harmony or adaptation and compactness” (Vincent p. 392). “Closely fitting and firmly adhering to one another” (Wey). “Through that which every joint supplieth”: “By the aid of every contributing ligament” (Wey). That is, every member of the church must strive for the right attitudes, and the right doctrine, and accept the instruction and assistance from sound leadership (Hebrews 13:17). Every member must refuse to embrace false teaching (4:14), and strive to uphold God's truth with the utmost integrity. “According to the working in due measure of each several part”: “When each part is working properly” (RSV). “Every member must exert himself to full measure, to the full extent” (Caldwell p. 192). “Maketh the increase of the body”: The church grows when God's plan, as outlined in this chapter, is followed. “Notice the peculiar phrase: the whole body making increase of the body (Vincent p. 392). Congregations grow in number and maturity when they are composed of members who are committed to this end. “Unto the building up of itself in love”: This is true church growth. Gimmicks, false teaching, doctrinal compromise, watered down morality, and fun and games will cause religious bodies to grow in number, but only God's plan with cause a church to grow both in number and in real spiritual maturity. This is not superficial church growth, but real growth of the body of Christ. In closing, Stott offers the following comments: “Others lay great stress on the fact of the church's unity as a theological concept clearly articulated in their minds, but appear to see nothing anomalous in the visible disunity which contradicts their theology. Others have a static view of the church, and are well satisfied if the congregation manages to maintain its size and program, without cutback. All such complacency is unworthy of the church's calling. We need to keep this biblical ideal clearly before us. Only then shall we 25
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live a life that is worthy of it� (p. 173).
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